From the Heart of
by Kaith1
Summary: Abandoned. The class of 3-A look into their hearts as the uncertain future draws nearer. Started out as a one-shot for Setsuna and Konoka but evolved thanks to idea's from my friends, I'll update it when I get more inspirational bursts for the rest of the girls.
1. 15: Setsuna Sakrazaki

**Kaith: **Hey there single person who reviewed this story when it was still titled _From the Heart of a Warrior_. This story started out as the one-shot between Setsuna and Konoka but my friends and I were talking about Negima one night and some ideas started to form in my head for the other girls. Also this chapter was rewritten a bit.

**#15: Setsuna Sakurazaki**

* * *

I leaned against the railing of the floating city, Ostia, and looked over the landscape. Large battleships floated around the city; almost as if they were protecting the city. It was like her relationship with Konoka…

Konoka, she is such a wonderful girl. She is kind and caring, always ready to help a friend. I still remember the days of our youth…

"Set-chan! Let's play!"

I was young then and did not know how to address Ojou-sama then. Those days were the best of my life. We would spend hours playing hide-n-seek throughout the large estate, laughing and giggling away the days. I cherish those days in my heart forever; they seemed to last forever until I got that unforgiving wakeup call.

"Throw it here!" Konoka yelled, waving her hands wildly over her head.

"Here it comes!" I shouted, throwing the white ball as hard as I could.

I threw the ball too high and too far. Ojou-sama ran backwards and tripped over a rock and toppled into the river.

"Kono-chan!" I cried.

"Set-chan, h-help me!" I could hear her choking on the water. I knew not what to do; Konoka-ojou-sama was flailing in the water, struggling for her life.

I jumped.

The water was cold and the current pulled my smaller body towards her. I reached her and grabbed her arm.

"Kono-chan, hold on to me!" Konoka had grabbed my arm and I started swimming for shore but my water-logged clothes pulled me down and Konoka's extra weight did nothing to help me. The shore seemed to get farther away, my arms turned to lead, and the cold water was now numbing my flesh; I could go any farther.

Just then, an arm wrapped around me and pulled me out of the water. I could hear Konoka coughing somewhere behind me. We were wrapped in blankets and placed in front of a fire.

"It's okay, Set-chan." I couldn't look at her; I had failed Ojou-sama…

I was back in the estate, Konoka-ojou-sama was with her parents and my instructor was with me. "You were supposed to protect Konoka-ojou-sama! She almost died because of your lack of experience!"

A hard hand meets my face and a stinging sensation grew; I didn't dare cry or talk back to her. I heard a gasp but didn't turn my face to see who.

"She's just a child!" The woman who gasped ran into the room and confronted my instructor, "Why do you have to be so harsh?"

"She's a Sakurazaki! Her only reason to exist is to protect Konoka-ojou-sama! If it were me I would have thrown the girl out of the Shinmarguu School, just like her own clan threw her out."

The next ten years of my life was devoted to learning the way of the sword, I never forgot the day of the river. Even after my instructor left me and a new, kinder one, was assigned to me, I could never forget the day of my weakness.

After my training I found my way back to Konoka-ojou-sama. I would protect her from the shadows; I put as much distance between us as possible… but no matter how far apart we were I could never push away the feeling I had for her. I…loved her…

_Protecting Konoka-ojou-sama is my duty,_

"Set-chan!"

Konoka's voice brought me back to reality. She was looking at me with intensity.

"Sorry, I kinda spaced out there."

_My curse,_

"Ready Konoka?" Chamo asked.

_Why was he here?_

Konoka nodded and Chamo yelled his magic words. Before I could register what was happening, a warm circle was surrounding me and Konoka was inches from my face. Then, she kissed me. The light faded but Konoka did not yet remove her lips. The most blissful moment of my life seemed to last for years; the cracks in my from all those years I pushed her away, they were filled with this moment.

When Konoka pulled away, she smiled at me. "Now we're partners, Set-chan."

_My blessing..._


	2. 16: Makie Sasaki

**#16 Makie Sasaki**

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"Makie!" I turned to see who was calling my name; Ako was waving her hand and running towards me.

"You made it!" I yelled happily, hugging her as soon as she reached me.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Ako beamed at me.

"Sasaki Makie, please report to the center of the gymnasium for your performance." A voice said over the loud speaker.

"Good luck Makie." Ako said, "I'll be watching from the stands."

I nodded and left the locker room. Slowly walking to the center of the gym I willed my heart to stopped beating so fast. I'll admit, I was nervous as hell. I could feel the eyes of every person there watching me, as if they were judging me already.

_Just ignore them, _I thought to myself, _I only need to worry about three people._ I looked over the judges: one was an old woman that looked like she smelled something bad and that she would bite your head off without a second thought, in the middle was a male teacher – I've never had him but I walked past his classroom once while he was teaching –, and on the far right sat coach.

Her words ran though my head as I began my performance. _She too happy-go-lucky._ It hurt to hear her say that, but not because she was insulting my personality. Her comment hit much deeper in my heart.

* * *

"Rhythmic gymnastics?" My mother scoffed, "Your grades are bad enough as it is and you want to hurt them even more with a distraction?"

"But mom," I complained, "You should have seen Misoko-sempi! She looked like she was having fun and it was so beautiful! Look," I held up a ribbon, "She told me I can do anything if I put my mind to it! She even gave me her ribbon!"

She pulled the ribbon from my hand and ripped the ribbon from the handle. "I you can do anything then why not start studying some more? Be grateful that you're in an elevator school!"

That night I sat on the floor in my room starring at the remains of the beautiful ribbon. There was a knock on the door and I quickly wiped away the tears and hid the ribbon. "Come in."

The door burst open and my dog ran into the room and began licking my face.

"Daddy!" I yelled with glee.

"How are you Makie?" My father said from the doorway. I looked up to my father and tried to keep Daddy's tongue from slobbering over me even more. "I was able to convince your mother that you might get some more motivation if you were involved with sports and she said it's alright."

I dropped Daddy and ran over to hug my father. "Thank you!"

A few months later and I had my first performance. My mother said it was the most graphic thing she had ever seen and that no daughter of hers would ever show that much skin again. I sat sobbing in my room as I listened to my parents fight downstairs.

It was that night that I had the resolve that would prevent me from ever getting hurt again…

By the time I was in 1-A with all of my current friends my parents were divorced and I was back in gymnastics.

* * *

As I was close to finishing my routine, I spotted Negi-sensei sitting in the crowd with Ako; a look of awe was painted on his face. _Gezze, Negi-sensei really is just a kid isn't he?_

I finished with a giant leap and listened to the applause. When I bowed I saw my mother sitting far in the back, her face barely visible. I thought back to that night,

_That night I vowed to never take off this mask,_

Negi-sensei ran over to me, "That was amazing Makie-san!"

I smiled, "Thanks Negi-sensei!" Out of the corner of my eye I saw my mother stand up and leave. I bit back tears.

_This mask of a Happy-Go-Lucky Girl…_

* * *

As you can see this story is just small exerts from the manga written with thoughts of the girls. Don't worry, not every girl will have family problems! I just haven't written the others yet. And since I don't have an idea for every girl, feel free to send any ideas you have if you wish!

As always, check my profile page to see updates on all of my on-going stories!


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